The present disclosure relates generally to the field of orthopedics and spinal surgery, and in some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to intervertebral prosthetic joints for use in the total or partial replacement of a natural intervertebral disc, and methods and tools for use therewith.
In the treatment of diseases, injuries or malformations affecting spinal motion segments, and especially those affecting disc tissue, it has long been known to remove some or all of a degenerated, ruptured or otherwise failing disc. In cases involving intervertebral disc tissue that has been removed or is otherwise absent from a spinal motion segment, corrective measures are taken to ensure the proper spacing of the vertebrae formerly separated by the removed disc tissue.
In some instances, the two adjacent vertebrae are fused together using transplanted bone tissue, an artificial fusion component, or other compositions or devices. Spinal fusion procedures, however, have raised concerns in the medical community that the bio-mechanical rigidity of intervertebral fusion may predispose neighboring spinal motion segments to rapid deterioration. More specifically, unlike a natural intervertebral disc, spinal fusion prevents the fused vertebrae from pivoting and rotating with respect to one another. Such lack of mobility tends to increase stresses on adjacent spinal motion segments.
Additionally, several conditions may develop within adjacent spinal motion segments, including disc degeneration, disc herniation, instability, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis and facet joint arthritis. Consequently, many patients may require additional disc removal and/or another type of surgical procedure as a result of spinal fusion. Alternatives to spinal fusion are therefore desirable.
In particular, this disclosure relates to an articulating disc prosthesis that can be inserted from the anterior-oblique approach.